Tv Sud is regional TV company. They have produced three episodes specifically about Uzès. All in French I'm afraid - but this way you can practice... In this first instalment: more about the history of the town and the sweet factory.

The feudal castle is nearly 1000 years old. It is located on a rocky ridge, oriented east-west. Its walls, sitting mostly on schist rocks are of unusual strength. They are often built of hard stone carved in relief with a hammer. Their thickness may reach two meters. Most of the many underground tunnels out in the village are now walled up to prevent accidents, but they are still visible.

Pougnadoresse is very rich in history, with its older tower dating from the Carolingian period (year 1000) and its double wall from the twelfth century. The tower to the south, so-called "big tower", houses a wide and deep ice storage which was already mentioned in a charter of King Louis the Younger, who in 1156 gave the castle and its dependencies to the Church of Uzès and its bishops.

The castle has been in the Sorbier de Pougnadoresse family for 450 years – but it changed hands several times earlier. In 1156, it is the property of the Bishops of Uzès. In 1332 and again in 1449, it passed into the hands of the Viscount of Uzès. Honorat Le Chantre, the ancestor of Gerard de Pougnadoresse, the current owner, officially became owner in 1562. "My great great grandfather was involved in the War of Independence of the United States along with La Fayette, says Gerard de Pougnadoresse, which entitles me today to be a member of the Society of Cincinnati, which includes all the descendants of the officers who fought in America."

Peace has not always reigned at Pougnadoresse. In 1645 the castle was besieged by Gondina-Servezanne – the own brother of the owner at the time, who was killed during the assault of the night. Fourteen years later, his two sons led a punitive expedition, and killed in turn Gondina-Servezanne. This earned them a death sentence ; they took refuge in Avignon where they were made prisoners but were able to plead their case to King Louis XIV – who pardoned them in the end.

The family history is intertwined with the history of France, as the castle suffered particularly during the Revolution in 1790, when it was burnt down despite the mobilization of the villagers who are on the frontlines to defend its owners. In 1793 again, the west wing was burned, the drawbridge and turrets were completely destroyed.

The family

The current family took over the castle in 1974. "I was just 15 when my uncle, former owner with no children, asked me if I wanted to keep the castle,” said Gérard de Sorbier de Pougnadoresse, current owner. “I accepted even though I knew very little about the place, but the village is the birthplace of our family. For many years, Pougnadoresse was our vacation home, we have undertaken major work, and we finally moved there gradually between 1988 and 1990 at the age of retirement”.

And the line does not seem ready to go out because they themselves have a son who has two sons. "However, our name has almost disappeared since my great great grandparents died very young with an only son a year and my grandfather was also an only son."

Gérard de Sorbier de Pougnadoresse and his wife gladly open their gardens to visitors, especially during tours of the village or at the request during the Heritage Day (Journée du Patrimoine).

A "lavoir" is a wash-house, a public place in France set aside for the washing of clothes. They are commonly sited on a spring or beside or set over a river. Many lavoirs are provided with roofs for shelter. Some wash-houses were built with sloping sides to the water-basin. Even when they were flat, the surrounds could be used exactly like any washboard, as a surface for rubbing or brushing soap into soiled cloth.

There are still lots of open-air wash-houses to be seen in Uzège - like in other warmer parts of Europe, but they are rarely used. Above, left, the wash-house in Uzès, built in 1854. That's why with the coming of piped water supplies and modern drainage, lavoirs have been steadily falling into disuse although a number of communes have restored ancient lavoirs some of which date back to the 10th Century.

When in Uzès with some time on your hands, go to the Ancien Evéché – in the courtyard, on the right hand side, you will see a sign for the Museum Georges Borias. Don’t hesitate to step in (and climb up).

History

The museum was set up in the early 20th century by two locals: a painter and a poet. The painter, José Belon, asked his artist friends to donate artworks in order to create a fine arts gallery. Albert Roux, the poet who wrote in Provençal dialect, wanted to create a « Museon Uzétien » - a folklore museum like the « Museon Arlaten » created by the famous Provençal poet Frédéric Mistral in Arles. The museum was created in 1910 and found its home at the townhall. Later they were completed with a collection donated by a local archeologist (items discovered in archaeological sites of the area).

After World War II, the museum had fallen into oblivion. Georges Borias, an art teacher at the local high school, saved it by reorganizing it. During more than forty years he directed this museum as a voluntary worker, helping to make it grow and improve. Since 1978, the museum is settled in l’Evéché, the former bishops’ palace (17th century), a beautiful heritage building located between the old city and the Eure valley.

The catholic recovery in the seventeenth century

The following years saw the start of a far-reaching counter-reform drive, marked by the foundation of convents, the reconstruction of churches and the gradual restriction of the freedom of Protestants. Jesuits settled down in Uzès, along with several other religious orders. Louis XIII appointed the bishop of Grillet in Uzès, one of the most dilapidated dioceses of the kingdom at the time. It became one of the town’s biggest construction works in the second half of the seventeenth century. In 1661 and 1662, Jean Racine stayed in Uzès and his interest in women prevented him from taking holy orders: “Be aware that, around here, one hardly ever sees mediocre loves: all passions are immoderate; and the spirits of this city, which are rather light-hearted in other matters, pursue their love interests more intensely than in any other country in the world”. The Episcopal palace was rebuilt in 1662.

In 1675, the King ordered that followers of the “so-called reformed religion” in Uzès and its surroundings should be excluded from the consulate and the city’s political council. After the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, in 1685, the temple was destroyed, while forced conversions and abjurations of protestants took place in public, on the place aux Herbes. Some Protestants who were deemed “fanatical” were locked up in the Bishop’s tower. The Camisards War (1702-1710) erupted in the Cévennes and the Uzège region. Faced with persecution and harassment, many business people left the town.

Return to prosperity in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries

The region settled down again. As time went by, protestants again started holding assemblies, which were not only tolerated but also taxed. The town then enjoyed another period of prosperity. Textile mills multiplied and Uzès became famous for its silk stockings.

Famous for its magniﬁcent medieval heritage, its cathedral and its duchy, Uzès is a charming Mediterranean town — its narrow streets lined with mansions and its friendly squares bustling with markets and feasts. Jean Racine lived there, and André Gide, who was born in the region, appreciated its mellow lifestyle. As a bishopric from the ﬁfth century; a viscounty and then a duchy in the sixteenth century; and as a town marked by Reform: Uzès boasts a rich history that may be discovered through its remarkably preserved monuments.

By Marie Susplugas

The birth of Ucetia

The oldest signs of a settlement near Uzès, about one hundred thousand years ago, are to be found by the Alzon river, near the Eure spring. Between the ﬁfth and second centuries B.C., a settlement was built on a high site. From the third century until the start of the second century B.C., the future city was populated by the Volcae Arecomici, who were familiar with writing and struck their own coins. All around the settlement, the landscape was transformed: the settlers planted vineyards and olive trees, villages sprouted up.

With the arrival of the Romans in 121 B.C., the region became part of the Transalpine and then the Narbonnaise province. An inscription found in Nîmes near the Jardins de la Fontaine refers to Ucetia. The town of Uzès ﬁrst appears in the archives in the fourth century A.D. In the ﬁfth century, it was known under the name of castrum Ucetiense. Although very little is known about the history of Uzès during Antiquity, it appears that the Romans used it as an administrative and cultural centre for the surrounding population. The Roman city was located in the same spot as the current historical centre. At the time, Uzès was already known as an important crossroads on the itinerary from Lyon to Nîmes.

In the fourth century, Christianity reached the region. Uzès became a bishopric in the ﬁfth century. From 419 until the French revolution, sixty-four prelates served in the city and left their mark on it.

Uzès in the Middle Ages

From the ﬁfth century, the town became a political and religious centre, under the impetus of powerful bishops who eagerly built new monuments. They also had the right to strike their own money and to dispense justice. Uzès developed

Jacques de Crussol, 53, is the 17th Duke of Uzès. He has grown up in the castle located right in the center of town, called the Duchy. []. These days, he actually leaves in Paris but makes a point of coming to Uzès once a month, and spends most of the summer there. Just like the Queen of England, his family’s flag floats when he is in residence...

The Duke, a US educated (MBA Columbia University) businessman [right], spends a good bit of his free time (and a lot of money) in continuing the massive renovation effort initially launched by his grandmother back in 1951, which he decided to step up 20 years ago. He is proud to say that the project should be finally completed within a few years. From the ground to the top of the highest tower, from gardens to interior decoration: the duchy has now almost regained its former splendor. The Duchy of Uzès is actually the only such family “Monument historique” in France to have been renovated in such a way – mostly with private money.

A large part of the Duchy is open to the public. At 17€ per adult, some say that the ticket price is bit high. The Duke argues that he receives very little financial help to keep the house running and opened – also, he says that by keep this price level, he actually wants to limit the number of visitors... But you can also come on Saturday mornings, market day, and enjoy a reduced fare of 10€.

There are up to four people working fulltime at the Duchy, headed by Mohamed Salhi and Françoise Prezet. Mohamed is the main caretaker. He is in charge of the garden, welcoming the paying guests, and some of the tours. He has also organized wine tastings – but activity has been discontinued as “it should really a full time job here in Uzès.” Françoise takes of the house itself; also during the summer she helps with the garden and the tours (sources: Le Républicain d’Uzès, 18th August 2011).

The Duchy, right in the centre of the town, is of imposing size and shows its military origins in the 12th century Bermonde Tower, and its ramparts with corner turrets. The rest of the history of France is shown in its remarkable Renaissance facade from the 16th century, where once can see superimposed the 3 classic orders of architecture – ionic, Doric and Corinthian. It is very rare to see all three in the same facade. The 17th and 18th centuries meet in the large windows of the facades opening onto the main courtyard and the garden.

Every year the Duchy of Uzès hosts many events - The Musical Nights (Les Nuits Musicales) with its concerts; the Painted Furniture Show, films and receptions; all make these old walls live again. Magic moments like these are limited so as to preserve the family atmosphere of the place. They are held in the courtyards, and in the two rooms on the ground floor looking onto the gardens which are reserved for the purpose (and can be rented for private events): the Capetian Room and the Panelled Room.

Browse below for a 4-minute mini documentary shot in Uzès and in the Duchy (in French) – including a few words with the Duke himself. And those who missed the concert held on the 23rd of July in the courtyard of the Duchy during the Nuits Musicales can enjoy (further below) Handel’s Water Music Suite N°1.

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